Tanzania should not leave the ground of the democratic constitutional state

Tanzania should not leave the ground of the democratic constitutional state

08 November 2017

08/11/2017
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The European Left warns against the anti-democratic development in Tanzania. Since his election as President of Tanzania in 2015, John Magufuli has been increasingly anti-democratic. Earlier this year, he tried to enact a law banning political rallies and demonstrations but failed due to unconstitutionality of that law.

The attempts of intimidation remain. Television broadcast from the parliament was denied. Critics must fear reprisals, which leads to massive restrictions of freedom of speech, press, and assembly. Repeatedly, there were arbitrary arrests and interrogations of political actors. Banalities are increasingly being used to eliminate political opponents. The culmination of prolonged repression is the police interrogation of the opposition politician of the Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT), Zitto Kabwe. He published an analysis of economic growth in Tanzania, which was significantly below officially issued government figures. The government accuses him of violating a 2015 law passed under Magufuli, the "Statistics Act". Kabwe faces a long prison sentence. "We urge the Tanzanian government to maintain the key pillars of democracy, freedom of speech, of the press and of assembly," says Gregor Gysi, President of the European Left. Tanzania faces many challenges, and increasing anti-democratization will cause lasting damage to development.